Fluid piping systems are a mainstay of civilization Fluids of all natures, ranging from gases to heavy crude oil to molten metals to solid/liquid sluries are transported from one location to another through piping systems. The hydraulic and pneumatic properties of fluids within an enclosed pipe, wherein forces applied to the fluid at any point within the enclosed system are delivered to all other points within the enclosed system, make it possible for water delivery to the upper floors of high buildings and a myriad of other desirable results.
Unfortunately, one of the primary characteristics of fluid piping systems is that they are susceptible to blockage. Foreign objects can enter the system and become entrapped within the confines of the piping so as to inhibit or totally stop fluid flow through that section of the pipe. Furthermore, gradual build-up of impurities within the pipe system and the internal corrosion of the piping materials can lead to reduction of the effective flow diameter of the interior of the pipe and inhibit the free flow of fluid therethrough.
Another inherent problem with piping systems they are, by their nature, limited access systems. As anyone who has ever attempted to unclog a sewer drain or a bathroom sink drain knows, a small blockage at a point which is inaccessible from the opening can result in substantial havoc. Accordingly, inventors and artificers over the years have developed numerous methods of dealing with clogging and blockages in fluid piping systems.
One main category of declogging devices and methods utilizes a physical attack upon the source of the blockage. A common plumbers snake is a prime example of this technique. The physical attack technique has been enhanced to the extent of involving elongated flexible devices which are capable of negotiating the curves and branches of a piping system to reach the source of blockage and then to deliver physical force to dislodge it. These include the flexible rotating knife elements utilized by commercial sewer services and others.
Another common method of attempting to unclog piping systems is to apply chemical agents which tend to decompose the bonding elements in the blockage material. Commercially available caustic agents for clearing drains and sewers are prime examples of this approach.
Frequently, in piping systems where the fluid flow is substantially unidirectional, blockages may occur which are held in place by the push of the fluid and are subject to dislodgment by a reversal of the fluid flow. In these instances it is frequently effective to force fluid in the opposite direction within the piping system such that the source of blockage is dislodged backwards and broken up by turbulence. An example of this sort of approach, as applied to porous filter cakes, is found in U. S. Pat. No. 4,153,552, issued to R. M. Muther. This method uses reversible fluid flow to attempt to dislodge impurities which might become embedded in the capillaries in the filter cake and thus prevent effective fluid flow therethrough.
Depending on the nature of the blockage in the piping system and the accessibility of various points near the blockage, any of the above methods can be effective. However, far too frequently a blockage occurs in a position which is not accessible and a substantial portion of the entire system needs to be dismantled in order to remedy the problem. This is particularly common in modern large scale building complexes, such as apartment buildings, where physical inaccessibility limits the usage of physical dislodgment devices and reverse flow techniques. Furthermore, growing environmental concerns and frailty of piping systems may preclude or limit the usefulness of chemical treatment schemes. Accordingly, a great deal of room for improvement remains in the apparatus, methods and equipment adapted to reducing blockage in piping systems.